Will Motion-Activated Deterrents Really Keep Cats Off Kitchen Counters? Owners Weigh In

Felines, both in the wild and in captivity, instinctively jump up on elevated surfaces. In a home, those surfaces include windowsills, bookshelves, and the place you never want to see them: the kitchen counter. Apparently, many cats view themselves as excellent kitchen assistants. If you've experienced this, you may have tried some of the DIY methods and products that promise to discourage felines from entering certain areas: Double-sided tape, scented sprays, and aluminum foil as a cat deterrent -– the list goes on and on.

Motion-activated deterrents are another option. These products consist of a can of compressed air with a motion-activated sensor on the side. If the sensor detects movement within a specific distance the can emits an audible puff of odorless, harmless air. The goal is to scare a cat away from the spot and eventually prevent them from performing the unwanted behavior.

SSSCAT and QSKUDP are two of the popular brands of motion-activated automatic spray pet deterrents you can buy. You can purchase the SSSCAT system for around $58 to $60 at Petco, Amazon, or directly from the PetSafe website. The QSKUDP version costs about $57 on Amazon. Both products require refills available for around $18 to $20 and have a mixture of positive and negative reviews.

A TikToker shared proof of the SSSCAT spray's effectiveness in a 6-second video showing a cat on a kitchen counter getting sprayed and reactively jumping down to the floor. Goal achieved. A few viewers claimed they had success with the product as well. Another user shared her positive experience on Food52, stating that the deterrent "finally did the trick." 

The SSSCAT has received a 3.6-star and 3.5-star rating on Petco and PetSafe, respectively, and a 2.5-star rating on Amazon, where 33% of the reviews consisted of 5 and 4 stars. As demonstrated by the ratings, many users didn't have such a positive experience; at PetSafe, several said the deterrent either didn't spray at all or sprayed inconsistently. A couple of reviewers also noted that they sometimes accidentally activated the sensor and were startled when it went off. On Amazon, the product garnered more than 200 negative reviews, with several the result of receiving a defective product. Like the SSSCAT, the QSKUDP pet deterrent spray proved effective for some users — at least when it worked. Of the 11 reviewers, 88% had success with the system. "My cat no longer jumps on the counter," one said. The only 1-star review was from a customer who received a defective product. 

Bottom line? Assuming they work properly, both the SSSCAT and QSKUDP deterrents have helped owners keep cats off of kitchen counters. Note that pet parents who have welcomed a fearful or anxious feline into their home should consider other methods, as the sudden noise could cause them additional distress. Beyond that, some felines may not be bothered by the deterrent at all. "We have one who has learned to stay away and another who will just sit and let it spray him in the face until the can is empty or the battery dies," one Redditor bemoaned, echoing the accounts of other commenters.